Regional AM Suzy Davies has challenged Natwest to explain why they are axing 20 branches in Wales – including the one in Mumbles.

Welsh Conservative Suzy said: “The bank is cutting a swathe through its network of rural and small town branches. Mumbles has barely recovered from the loss of its HSBC branch recently and now residents and customers are being hit again.

“When you look at a place like Mumbles which is attracting many new businesses at the moment, you have to wonder what’s going on with the banks. Natwest is located close to a large car park so is easier to access than many other banks. I will be interested to hear from Natwest their detailed reasoning behind this decision.”

Mrs Davies added that Mumbles has a thriving tourism sector which draws in thousands of people.

She went on: “Natwest says that more people are using their mobiles and computers to bank but businesses need somewhere to pay in their cheques and cash and Natwest’s suggestion of using the post office to do this fails to take into account the long queues that already exist in many post offices.”

Mrs Davies said she would be seeking a meeting with bank bosses to argue for the retention of the branch. She will also press for the mobile branch to visit Mumbles if the campaign to save the branch fails.

Oystermouth County Councillor Myles Langstone said: “On the day the closure was announced, we welcomed yet another new business to Mumbles. We have a growing local economy with new traders and increasing numbers of visitors but this closure is taking us the wrong way.

“I will be working with Suzy to get to the bottom of why the Mumbles branch has been targeted and pressing Natwest to say how their customers are to be served in future. We will be arguing to keep the branch open or at least for a regular mobile service to be introduced.”